Monday, January 31, 2005

Of course it doesn't see genocide. The UN refuses to see genocide in anyplace except Israel. The world, I believe would be relieved if the Sudanese militia and air force would simply kill everybody. You see once they are all dead, it's no longer genocide. Also, dead refugees are easier to deal with; all you need is a couple of front end loaders and a few bulldozers. You dig the pits and push the bodies in and problem is solved.

As well, a negative report against Sudan will only be squashed by the Arab-Muslim bloc. Any aid would be resisted by this group, because the only country that apparently can engage in genocide and be condemned is Israel, and they don't even engage in genocide.

Sunday, January 30, 2005

This is the new symbol of courage in the world today. A finger with purple dye, a finger that proves the person attached understood the challenge and the threat and refused to be intimidated. This is the finger of a person who voted in the Iraqi election.

Those who are the angriest today are the terrorists, no sorry, as Suhanna of CBC Newsworld reminded an Iraqi, insurgents. The threatened ordinary citizens that they would kill them, well guess what, millions refused to be intimidated, the last legacy of the Saddam Hussein regime proved to be an empty threat. The other group that are the angriest are the stridently anti-Americans who hate anything and everything that country does. Now again, I do oppose the military operation, it was a sham but this does not mean I can't rejoice when regular people decide to take matters into their own hand and vote. The opposition in Afghanistan thought they could discredit a vote and threatened to boycott that election, however when they discovered that regular people wanted this election they suddenly showed up.

Now many are complaining about the lack of Sunni voters, let's remember that under Saddam, the Sunni were the favoured people. The perks, such as they were, belonged to them. While the Shi'ites in the south and the Kurds in the north were either being gassed or shot, they lived in relative security. Trust me in a couple of months all those Sunni's who didn't vote will be kicking themselves for not doing what they could for their nation.

To the strident Anti-Americans in my country, to those who work for the CBC and suppose to represent what I think, just one word of advice, Shut your traps. Democracy won today.

This does not mean the danger is over, the opposition still has guns and bombs, but it's the start of the end for them. The people, not the armies of the coalition are the ones that defeated them.

Saturday, January 29, 2005

I thought about the ceremony this week to mark th 60th anniversary of the liberation of auschwitz. The message is as it should each anniversary, "Never Again". I wish this was so, but also this week the Sudanese Air Force were strifing civilians near Darfur in violation of a truce. Never again is hollow because the world has witnessed the horrors of Cambodia, the terrors of Rwanda, the silent destruction of the Tibetan people and simply turned the other way.

While one can point the finger at the Nazi's for the Holocaust, let us never forget our duplicity in this manner. Many western nations, including Canada slammed the door to Jewish immigration, and has the blood of no doubt thousands of Jews on our hands. What would have happened if our nation had allowed unrestricted immigration of Jews to Canada? How many lives would have been saved? According to Irving Abella Fredrick Charles Blair who was the director of the Immigration Branch of the Department of Mines and Resources was a Christian and an Anti-Semitic. He is a disgrace to the Name of Jesus! He ruled the department because Makenzie King was also anti-semitic. Remember it was King who thought Hitler was a great person. These two have put the blood of those Jews on the hands of every Canadian.

We were as much involved in the Holocaust as Dr. Joseph Mengele and the Nazi hierarchy.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

World Economic Forum - About SubhomeCouldn't let this day go by without saying something about the World Economic Forum in Davos what can be said about this? It gives the leaders of business and the world the chance to mingle, smooze and get their picture taken with Bono to show their grandkids they are actually cool and not a stuffed shirt.

The usual is said for improving the world and remember the membership are the same group who ensure the world does not become a better place for the poor. It is made up of the largest corporations in the world, the ones that have re-invented the sweatshop for example. These are the industries such as Nike that have gone from nation to nation to find the cheapest labour possible. It's these companies that have cut deals with some of the most ruthless dictatorships on the planet, so that their interests are protected.

Now they want to help Africa. Yes Africa needs help. But will corporate World give what it needs, will Pfizer or whoever agree to ship cheap anti-AIDS medicine, will Nestle stop trying to get mothers in the third and fourth world to start bottle feeding?

This, being Canada, is part of the reason why the public health system is failing. Okay, the Federal Health Minister is ordering the province to pay for abortions performed in a private, for profit clinic. Now, this is public money being used to pay for a service already provided in public hospitals.

Keep that in mind, now let's say I decide to open up a private MRI clinic in my province. What do you think the reaction would be? Well easy Dosanjh would have a coronary. He would be screaming that is the erosion of the public system and it is shameful that service is provided for people who have the cash. You know, yadda yadda yadda.

The Health Minister for New Brunswick made a very good point when said:On one hand, he is trying to argue about health services being provided through a public system, but on the other hand, he's advocating for New Brunswick to provide health services through private clinics," the minister said.
So if the issue is trendy, it's okay, if it's not, it's not okay.

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

I found about this site Stop Ashlee. Com from the Jim Rome show. It's a petition wants Ashlee Simpson to stop, to stop pretending she's a singer and leave the stage immediately. At last count there was over 212,000 signatures. I don't know about you but that says a lot of about the feeling this singer elicits in the heart of music lovers. I would suggest to Ashlee she return to what she does best, and that is an actress on "Seventh Heaven". This is a good family oriented show that is enjoyable to watch. I understand she's Jessica Simpson's sister and for some reason that got her into the music industry, but really when you're booed by 60000 people + at the Orange Bowl, it's time to move on.

Well, I could continue this negative blog but I want to draw attention to a singer you probably haven't heard and that is Alexandra Scott. She's an unsigned artist who deserves recognition for her ability and her talent. So when you're tired of the congromerate artist of the month, try someone who is real, try Alexandra Scott.

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

I honestly am happy for the music industry. They deserve some good news after all the bad news that has been generated in their direction. Of course, most of the bad news has been of their own making, still slow embracing new technology aren't they. I wonder why the numbers from ITunes and Puretracks isn't being included because that is now part of the music purchasing equation. I know over the last year I've bought both single tracks and a couple of albums using Puretracks.com. Are they afraid that even mentioning online music will cause people to pirate. Still they need to get over themselves.

I do agree that much of the inspiration has been the release of some good CD's. Let face it, U2's is incredible and worth every penny it cost and Shania Twain is always good ear candy. I mean she's quite nice to look at and she does a decent job. You will notice no mention of some of the horrors of the past year, like Britney releasing a "Best Of...", or the latest monstrosity from Hillary Duff or Lindsay Lohan. I want to suggest that if the music industry wants to keep this up they should do one thing do NOT offer contracts to a) Paris Hilton, b) the Olsen Twins or c) Donald Trump. None of them have any ability so there.

Just a thought, Ashlee Simpson's tour in support of her CD will probably die either on the road shortly after starting or it won't even get started. I suppose her 'acid reflux' will prevent her from touring. I mean after the SNL and then the Orange Bowl debacle her musical career probably has crashed and burned and there are no survivors.

She is proof that a sound card is no substitution for being able to actually sing.

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Everyone is jumping all over Bill Gate's remark during his interview that is featured in news.com. The comment from the Wired.com news article was to say that this demonstrates that Bill is a bit out of the loop when it comes to the notion of copyright, or as some like to call it 'copyleft'. The problem is that Bill fails to understand anything but the status quo and really the status quo for intellectual property is being erased, not by the communists, but by individuals and companies who are demanding a total change of the copyright system. The megamedia corporations of which Microsoft is a part of want to change copyright into property. According to traditional law, property is sacred and belongs forever to the owner. Copyright exists only for a limited period of time, a period that lawmakers are trying to change so that it is better for the lobbyists.
At present, when the copyright is complete, the intellectual property becomes part of the public domain that all of us can enjoy without restriction. The megamedia corporations want to lock up their culture forever, if they had their wish.
Which system do you want to live under, one dominated by a few corporations who only care about making money, or one in which culture and media are truly free. If we learned anything, the megacorps only care about their bottom line. It all started with the music industry and while they claim to act in the best interest of the artist, they are only interested in their bottom line. They want the artist to remain in a situation of indentured slavery, selling their creativity for a few bucks.
An extremely good book on the subject is Free Culture by Lawrence Lessig. If you visit his website freeculture.org. It gives a good background to the whole issue of free culture and how the megacorps are attempting to stifle this culture. You can about the time the RIAA sued Girl Scouts for singing campfire songs. If you go into the site you can download legal copies of the book and in various file types as well, from .pdf to .lit for those of us who own Pocket PC's. I'm about a third of the way through and it is a fascinating read.
Everything, including Bill's comments are based upon the Creative Commons, which is a method of protection and freedom for, as the site says, authors and artists. If you are a creative type it may be an interest to you it offers protection and the ability of others to build upon your creativity. It allows the creator to own and do as they will and not to be a part of the megacorps slavery system.

that's right Judy, blame your enemies. You probably made a lot of them. You know Judy there's a little saying out there and it goes something like this: "chickens do come home to roost". You've been pretty quick with attacking the conservatives, in fact weren't you part of the team that followed Stephen Harper around? yes you were and now you're ousted.

What is more interesting is the fact that the person that caused your downfall was Pizza Delivery Guy. You know, there is justice in this universe. And to think your rival gets your job, the guy that announced the end to the "Strippers to Canada", over your head while you were the target of volley after volley from the Opposition. So is that all it takes to get into Canada? send free pizza's to the Minister's campaign office? Well, that news should do well with every other person trying to sneak into the country.

Oh by the way Paul. Yeah, did you sleep well last night? How many more of your loyalists will be joining Judy on the disgrace trail. Let's see, that's two so far isn't it.

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

It must have been Kismet this past Saturday night. I was coming back from a restaurant meal, listening to CKLW radio in particular a show called the Movie Show on Radio. The topic was the 5 DVD's you take on the desert island, and as I listened I heard some great movies including my faves such as The Great Escape. Well one of the movies that was mentioned and brought raves was The Princess Bride, yes it is a good movie with excitement, some kissing and great lines. Well, so I get home and turn on the television when one channel, YTV is showing it. I figure after hearing about it again, I got to watch it so I did and is it funny or what. I mean the lines are great. Before I go further, you can read the script here. How can you not like a movie that features lines like Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. You just can't. Look, the movie makes no sense but it is great nonetheless. You have Billy Crystal as Miracle Maxx telling us that a rushed miracle is a rotten miracle. Or near the end when Fezzik, played by Andre the Giant says: Ah, there you are. Inigo, I saw the Prince's stables, and there they were, four white horses. And I thought, there are four of us, if we ever find the lady -- hello, lady -- so I took them with me, in case we ever bumped into each other. Or Vizzini describing two classic blunders: You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is "Never get involved in a land war in Asia." But only slightly less well known is this: "Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line"
. I was thinking of the first classic blunder, and my how things haven't changed have they? There is a land war going on in Asia and it is still a blunder, maybe not the jungles of Vietnam, but the desert and cities of Iraq, but I digress.
An interesting point made on the Movie Show was that the movie actually didn't go anywhere at the boxoffice, but when it was released to video it developed the cult following that has made it a hit. And a hit it is.

I know it's been awhile, but I've been busy, but I've got a lot to blog over the next little while.